Brown and red butterfly
Location: Colorado
July 21, 2011 3:44 am
Hey! You’re team is apparently very good at identifying insects and things, so I was wondering if you happen to know what this little creature is. My friend took the pictures at night outside is home in Colorado, but I’m pretty sure it’s a butterfly (since its wings are vertical in the second pic). Other than that, I am having no luck in identifying it. Any idea what kind of butterfly this is?
Signature: Mandooooo
Underwing
Dear Mandooooo,
This is actually a moth and not a butterfly. Underwing Moths in the genus Catocala are characterized by drab forewings that blend in with tree bark, and boldly marked and colored underwings that show in flight. If the moth is startled and flies, it displays its bright colors, but when it alights on a tree, it seems to vanish. Any predators will be hunting for a brightly colored tasty morsel, and they may easily overlook the now camouflaged Underwing Moth.
Underwing Moth
I like This
We had a lot of moths, and our dog kept eating them. My daughter made a comic of it at http://eyecomics.blogspot.com/2011/07/moth-eater.html
Enjoy!
Thanks for the entertainment.